Rail-joint.



PATENTED AUG. 4, 1903; W. S. DUNAGAN.

RAIL JOINT. PPPPP OATION 11.31) mu 4, 1903.

no MODEL.

a longitudinal slot 5.

UNITED STATES Patented August 4, 190a.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM S. DUNAGAN, OF EVERETT, WASHINGTON.

RAIL-JOINT.

, SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 735,223, dated'August 4,1903. Application filed May 4, 1903. Serial ll'o. 155,633. (No model.)

To all whom, it may.) concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM S. DUNAGAN, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Everett, in the county of Snohomish and State of Vashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention aims to provide a simple, inexpensive, and otherwise desirable connection for the meeting ends of rails. The joint obviates the necessity for theuse of the present form of fish platesnow of general adoption, thus doing away with :bolts, nuts, and appurtenant devices.

. For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and drawings hereto attached.

While the essential and characteristic features of the invention are susceptible of modification, still the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective View showing the invention applied. tional view through the joint. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the locking-wedge.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

It is objective as regards the means employed in this invention to provide a device embodying a minimumnumberof parts, so that it may be adapted to be readily and quickly applied and when necessary to be quickly removed.

The joint comprises, essentially, two membersnamely,a chair 1 ,which receives the end portions of the adjacent rails, which are designated 2. The chair consists of the'base 3 and brace members 3 and 3", which extend approximately into contact with the web portion 4 of the rail ends.{ The chair is made in one piece and is provided upon the inner face of one of. its brace membersnamely, 3 -with This slot 5 extends the length of the chair and receives a wedge member 6. The wedge member 6, which tapers of the wedge member 6 within the slot 5.

Fig. 2 is a vertical secs toward one end, may be made of suitable material and is provided at its reduced end portion with a lateral extension 7. The lateral extension 7 has a threaded opening 8 thereon, and a set-screw 9 is provided for adjustment within the opening 8. The seta screw 9 is provided with a suitable head 10, to which a wrench or like tool may be applied in eifecting the adjustment of the set-screw. A jamnut 11 is utilized for reasons which are obvious and will not be described.

As will be noted in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the inner end of the set-screw 9 is adapted to bear against the end of the rail-chair 1, and through this medium the adjustment of said Screw 9 will cause a longitudinal movement It will be seen that at intervals of time the setscrew 9 may be adjusted to cause further wedge action of the member 6 to take up wear of the joint while the same is in use. This is essentially advantageous, because it is well known that the constant passage of rollingstock over the rails tends to loosen a joint and cause rattling and general unsafeness thereof.

The operation of assembling the parts is extremely simple, the wedge member 6 being first disposed within the slot 5 and the chair by slidable movement is then placed on the end of one of the rails. cent rail is then disposed within the chair and the wedge 6, by adjustment of the set-screw 9, given a longitudinal movement in its seat to firmly clamp the end portions of the rails 2 in their respective positions within the chair. Spikes or like fastenings 11 may be utilized to hold the chair rigidly in place upon the railties.

Having thus described the invention, the claim now is- 1. The combination, in meansfor connecting the meeting ends of rails andthe like, of a chair embracing the rails upon the under sides and web portions thereof, and .a wedge member disposed between the webs of adjacent rail ends and the chair and providedwith a lateral extension adjustable means disposed upon and carried by the lateral extension for cooperation with the end of the chair to cause longitudinal wedging action of the wedge member.

2. The combination, in means for connect- The end of the adjaing the meeting ends of rails and the like of end adapted to bear against the end port-ion a rail-chair embracing the base and web porof the'chair, whereby adjustment thereof will tions thereof, one of the web-embracing porcause longitudinal wedging action of the r 5 tions being provided with a longitudinal slot wedge member and clamp the adjacent rail 5 upon the inner face thereof, awedge member ends within the chair.

disposed within the aforesaid slot and be- In testimony whereof I affiX my signature tween the embracing portions of the chairand in presence of two Witnesses. the web portions of the rails, a lateral exten- WILLIAM S DUNAGAN [L s sion projected from the reduced end of the 10 wedge member and provided with a threaded Witnesses:

opening thereon, and a set-screw adjustable A. L. MANNING, within the aforesaid opening having its inner l C. 0. BROWN. 

